Burial-casket



W. C. LAUTNBR. f

Burial Casket.

No.238,129. Patentedreb. 22,1881.

N. PETERS. FHOT0-L1THOGRAPHR. WASHINGTON. D c.

UNITED STATES 111 Erice@ PATENT BURIAL-GASKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 238,129, dated February 22, 1881.

Application led September 24, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. LAUTNER, of Orrville, in the county of Wayne and State of Ohio, have invented. new and useful Improvements in Burial-Gaskets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates, in part, to improvements in that class of burial-caskets which are composed of a metallic frame with glass panels in the sides, ends, and top of the frame, or in either or in all of said parts.

The invention further relates to certain improvements in the construction of metallic burial-caskets, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings which are hereto annexed, Figure lis a side view of the improvement. Fig. 2 is a transverse section. Fig. 3 is a View of the end piece. Fig. 4 is aplan of the upper rim. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the bottom and a broken view of the side glass. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section of the lower rim which is attached to the bottom.

The letter A designates the iron bottom with an upward extending rim, l), cast integral therewith, and which is continuous, and is provided on the interior side with lugs or projections c, having their two opposite vertical sides beveled or cut inward, (see Fig. 6,) and their uppermost part setting off from the rim, thus" forming a sort of hook. (See Fig. 2.) Said lugs c serve purposes which are hereinafter set forth. The metallic bottom is provided on its lower and outer side with strips, ribs, or beads d, also east integral therewith. Said strips or ribs d extend lengthwise of the bottom, and serve to raise the casket and prevent its entire surface from resting on the floor of the hearse, while not interfering with the rollers lthereof when the casket :is placed in or drawn out. In the present example the bottom is provided with three strips or beads; but the one extending down the center may be omitted, leaving the one near each side edge. The space along the edge of the bottom may be availed of as a hand-hold when lifting the casket. Furthermore, these strips or beads obviate an objection to which all cast-metal bottoms are liable, to wit: Gasket-bottoms of the class re' ferred to are cast byrunnin g the metal through several ingates,7 each affording a long narrow opening into the mold. When the sprue77 which is thus formed is knocked off the casting a projection or raise is left on the lower and outer side of the bottom, extending crosswise thereof'. These make the bottom rough and uneven, and if they bear on the ioor prevent the casket from setting steadily. It will be seen that the projection or raised part unavoidably left in casting may, bythe construction herein described, come on the bottom between the strips or beads, in which location they are not objectionable.

The end B of the casket is shown in Fig. 3,

and is designed to be either entirely of iron or of iron having a glass panel. Itmay be in one piece or in sections. The end is provided on the inner side, both at the upper. and lower edge, with projections e, cast integral therewith. Each projection has abolt-hole,by which the end is secured to the bottom, and also to the top rim, hereinafter described. The ends have rounded corners, which are provided at each outer side edge with a vertical hatten or cleat, f, also cast integral therewith.

The top rim, O, is preferably cast in one piece, though it may be in sections. As seen in cross-section in Fig. 2, it consists ofthe hori- Zontal rim part h, and the downward iiange z' at substantially a right angle thereto and similar in form to the rim b on the bottom. By means of screws Zentered from above through the rim h the wooden strips a may be secured, as and for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

The coveris designated by the letter D, and consists of an iron frame cast in one piece or in sections, and having one or more glass panels, and is adapted to t the top rim, C, to which it may be secured in any desired manner.

Having thus described the several parts of my improved casket, I will now describe the manner in which the same are put together, and also some 'details not yet mentioned.

The lower edges of the end pieces'are set within the rim b and secured to the bottom by screws or bolts'through the projections e. By this arrangement the fastening is made from the inner side. The end resting within the rim b may be secured inside in the manner shown, whether it be cast in one integral piece or in sections. The glass plates p, which constitute the side panels, are set in position so that their lower edges will rest in the upper- IOO most part of the lugs c, heretofore described as forming a sort of hook. Wooden strips q, having their ends beveled oft', are inserted with their said beveled ends in the beveled or inward-cut sides of the lugs c, and extend along the rim b and contiguous to or against the inner side of the lower edge ofl the glass side panel. .By this arrangement the strips assist in sustaining the panels, and enable a tight ro joint to be made of such nature that the glass is not as liable to break as when it is sustained on the iron alone. To these strips may be tacked a bed of any suitable material, which bed will serve as an absorbent should the body in the casket ow, and thus the glass panels are kept from being disfigured. The battens fat the side edge of each rounded corner of the end pieces serve to overlap the ends of the glass side panels, and enables a tight joint to be made by the aid of cement. After the glass side panels are placed in position, as above described, the top rim, C,is placed over the said glass panels and over the end pieces, to which latter it is secured by screws which enter the projections e. Instead of placing the side glassesin position before the top rim is put on they may be readily put in after said top rim has been secured. The wooden strips n are now secured to the horizontal part 71. of the rim by screws, and serve the purpose of holding the side glass plates, and also for attaching thereto, by means of tacks, the inside trimmings or lining. The top fits closely over the rim, and is secured thereto in any suitable manner.

As the feature of the outer edge ot' the bottom being raised for the attachment of ahandle to or on said raised edge, which handle is combined therewith, has been shown and claimed in another application for a patent, I do not herein make any claim thereto, but concede it to be the invention of others.

Having described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent- 1. A burial-casket having a cast-metal bottom provided on its-lower and outer side with strips, ribs, or beads cast integral therewith and with spaces between the ribs extending lengthwise of the bottom, as set forth.

2. The combination, in a burial-case, of a metal bottom having an upward-extending rim, lugs on the interior side adapted for the retention of wooden strips, wooden strips extending along the' rim from lug to lug, and glass panels whose lower edge is contiguous to or against the strips, as set forth.

3. The combination, in a burialcase, of a cast-metal bottom, having an upward-extending rim, provided on the interior side with lugs, having their two opposite sides beveled or cut inward, and wooden strips q, having their ends inserted in the inward-cut sides of the lugs, as set forth.

WILLIAM C. LAUTNER.

Witnesses z J As. B. TAYLOR, J. N. HOLMES. 

